Baby carriage construction

ABSTRACT

A baby carriage is formed of a plurality of rod members forming an upper frame, a front lower frame and a rear lower frame. The upper frame may be folded downwardly over the front frame and the rear frame folded against the front frame. A seat fabric material is slung over the upper portion of the front frame in a seat guard member which extends outwardly from the front frame. The rod members are held upright in the operative position by a collapsible brace assembly which includes a biasing spring for aiding the movement of the parts into a collapsed position.

United States Patent [191 Perego 1 BABY CARRIAGE CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Perego-Pines S.p.A., Arcore, Italy [22] Filed: May 24, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 473,192

Gianluca Perego, Arcore, Italy [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Michael J. Forman Attorney, Agent, or FirmMcGlew and Tuttle [57] ABSTRACT A baby carriage is formed of a plurality of rod members forming an upper frame, a front lower frame and a rear lower frame. The upper frame may be folded downwardly over the front frame and the rear frame folded against the front frame. A seat fabric material is slung over the upper portion of the front frame in a seat guard member which extends outwardly from the front frame. The rod members are held upright in the operative position by a collapsible brace assembly which includes a biasing spring for aiding the movement of the parts into a collapsed position.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BABY CARRIAGE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION .1. Field of the Invention The present invention comprises the construction of a baby carriage which includes an assembly which is easily collapsible and preferably with means associated with the collapsible assembly which permit it to be carried very easily on a persons arms.

2. The Prior Art Baby carriages of this type are generally known, but a disadvantage of the known constructions is that they are not easy to collapse and fold them into a sufficiently compact structure so that they may be easily carried on a persons arm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an improved carriage construction which is made up of a lower front and rear frame structure having respective front and rear wheels which are formed of rod members or tubular members and which are pivotally connected to an upper portion having rod members which are shaped so that-they form U-shaped handles at their upper ends. The construction includes an inexpensive fabric seat which is slung on the upper portion and to a guard member which is pivoted between the two side rod members of the lower portion and extends ina U-shape around the front of the carriage forming a protective guard. The lower front side rod members contain pivot brackets for pivoting the upper portion of the carriage and they may be held in an aligned erected position by ring members which are carried on one of the members and which loop around the other. The lower front and rear portions may be collapsed together, in accordance with the invention, by a simple collapsing brace construction which includes a spring biasing arrangement for biasing the front and rear portions so that they collapse together when the rings holding the upper frame portions are removed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved baby carriage construction and which includes a lightweight frame providing front and rear portions having front and rear wheels and an upper portion having means forming a handle and wherein the lower portions are automatically collapsible together and pivotable upwardly into association with the upper frame portion for facilitating the carrying of the carriage when it is not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a baby carriage construction which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings:

FIG. I is a front top perspective view of the carriage in an erected position, constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the erected carriage shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the carriage in a partially folded position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the carriage in a completely collapsed position ready for carrying; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the collapsing brace mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention which is employed on the carriage shown.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a baby carriage which includes a lower front portion comprising a pair of spaced apart lower front side rod members 1, 1, each of which carries an upper pivot bracket la and a lower pivot bracket 2a adjacent its upper end. The upper ends of the lower front side rod members I, 1' have ends which are protected by finished pieces 50.

A lower rear portion includes a pair of spaced apart lower rear side rod members 2 and 2' having upper ends which are pivoted on pivots 52 to the lower bracket 2a in lower ends which contain transverse axles 6 supporting wheel means 5 in the same manner as wheel means 5 which are suspended on axle 6' of the lower front side rod members 1 and 1.

The construction also includes an upper portion including a pair of spaced apart upper side rod members 3 and 3' which have rounded converging top portions and substantially parallel upper ends 30 and 30' which terminate in U-shaped handles M, M, which are advantageously pivotally engageable therein to permit adjustment thereof. The upper ends 30 and 30' are held by a cross-bracket 54.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the upper side rod members 3 and 3 carry rings a which are of a large enough diameter to permit them to be engaged over the end pieces 50 of the upper ends of the lower side rod members 1 and 1 to hold the lower portion in alignment with the upper portion in an erected position.

The construction includes a substantially U-shape seat guard rod member 4 which extends forwardly and around the front of the carriage between the lower front side rod members 1, 1'. A connecting piece 40 is pivotally connected at 56 to the seat guard rod member 4 and, on its opposite end, it is pivotally connected at pivot 58 to an associated upper side rod member 3 or 3. A fabric seat covering S includes a back portion which is slung over the upper ends ofthe upper side rod members 3 and 3' and it includes a lower seat bottom portion which is slung over the guard rod member 4. A protection belt c is secured to the bottom of seat S and it is looped over guard rod member 4.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the carriage includes a collapsible brace structure which includes a collapsible brace member 60 which includes a tubular portion 11 which is slidable on the associated lower front side rod member 1 or 1'. A connecting link 9 has its one end pivoted at 62 to the collapsing brace 60 and its opposite end contains a slot 9a, as best shown in FIG. 5, which receives a bolt or guide member Vwhich is secured to a lower rear side rod member 2 or 2'. Bolt V is biased by spring 10 in a direction to cause a collapsing pivotal movement of the rear portion toward the front portion, as shown by the arrow 66 in FIG. 2. This movement is facilitated once the ring a is moved off of the end fitting 50 carried on the lower front side rod member 1 or 1',

A foot board 7 is engaged over the front axle 6 an it includes a slot 7b which extends along the length thereof. A supporting strut 7a is pivoted at 68 to respective lower front side rod members 1 and l' and they have lower ends which engage in respective slots 7b of the respective ends of the foot board 7. The collapsing brace assembly also includes a cross-piece 8 which is pivoted at pivot 62 at its lower end, and at pivot 58 at its upper end. A bushing 11 is also engaged around bolt V and it may slide along the lower rear side rod member 2 or 2'.

The operation of the device is very simple and it is a simple matter to collapse the structure from the position indicated in FIG. 2 by moving the ring a upwardly to cause biasing spring to effect an initial collapsing movement of the lower rear side rod members 2 and 2 in a direction toward the lower front portion. In addition, the upper handle M may be moved in a direction of the arrow 70 toward the dotted line position shown to commence the movement of the upper frame in a direction toward complete collapse as shown in FIG. 4.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A baby carriage construction, comprising a lower front portion including a pair of spaced apart lower front side rod members, each of said front side rod members having an upper and a lower pivot bracket thereon, wheel means carried on the lower end of said lower front side rod members, a lower rear portion including a pair of spaced apart lower rear side rod members having upper end portions connected to said lower pivot bracket and having lower portions, wheel means on the lower portions of said lower rear side rod members, an upper portion including a pair of spaced apart upper side rod members having lower end portions pivoted on said upper pivot bracket and being alignable with said lower front side rod members, ring means on said spaced apart upper side rod members engageable over the upper ends of said front side rod members when said upper and lower portions are in an erected position to hold said upper portion side rod members and said front side rod members in end-to-end alignment, said upper side rod members having upper converged portions terminating in U-Shape handles, a substantially U-shape seat guard rod member extending between said front side rod members, a connecting link pivotally connected between said upper side rod members and said seat guard rod member adjacent each end of said seat guard rod member to support said seat guard rod member from said upper side rod members, a fabric seat having a seat back portion slung from said upper side rod members and a seat bottom portion slung away from said seat guard rod member, a collapsible brace including a tubular portion engaged over at least one of said front side rod members and slidable therealong, a brace link having one end pivoted to said collapsing brace and an opposite end with a slot therein, a bolt secured to an associated lower rear side rod member and movable in said slot, and spring means biasing said bolt to move along said slot in a direction to pivot said brace link to collapse said collapsing brace to permit the pivotal movement of said lower rear portion into juxtaposition with said lower front portion.

2. A baby carriage construction, according to claim 1, wherein said front wheel means includes a front axle extending between said front side rod members, and a rotatable front wheel rotatable on each end of said axle, a tray having a front end supported on said axle and having a side wall with a slot extending therealong, and a support strut engaged in said slot of said side wall of said tray and connected to said lower front side rod member.

3. A baby carriage construction, according to claim 1, wherein said pair of spaced apart upper side rod members include an upwardly converging portion and an upper substantially vertical straight portion, said straight portions of said upper side rod members being spaced apart, a bracket interconnecting said straight portions, said U-shape handles being pivotal in the tops of said straight portions. 

1. A baby carriage construction, comprising a lower front portion including a pair of spaced apart lower front side rod members, each of said front side rod members having an upper and a lower pivot bracket thereon, wheel means carried on the lower end of said lower front side rod members, a lower rear portion including a pair of spaced apart lower rear side rod members having upper end portions connected to said lower pivot bracket and having lower portions, wheel means on the lower portions of said lower rear side rod members, an upper portion including a pair of spaced apart upper side rod members having lower end portions pivoted on said upper pivot bracket and being alignable with said lower front side rod members, ring means on said spaced apart upper side rod members engageable over the upper ends of said front side rod members when said upper and lower portions are in an erected position to hold said upper portion side rod members and said front side rod members in end-to-end alignment, said upper side rod members having upper converged portions portins terminating in U-shape handles, a substantially U-shape seat guard rod member extending between said front side rod members, a connecting link pivotally connected between said upper side rod members and said seat guard rod member adjacent each end of said seat guard rod member to support said seat guard rod member from said upper side rod members, a fabric seat having a seat back portion slung from said upper side rod members and a seat bottom portion slung away from said seat guard rod member, a collapsible brace including a tubular portion engaged over at least one of said front side rod members and slidable therealong, a brace link having one end pivoted to said collapsing brace and an opposite end with a slot therein, a bolt secured to an associated lower rear side rod member and movable in said slot, and spring means biasing said bolt to move along said slot in a direction to pivot said brace link to collapse said collapsing brace to permit the pivotal movement of said lower rear portion into juxtaposition with said lower front portion.
 2. A baby carriage construction, according to claim 1, wherein said front wheel means includes a front axle extending between said front side rod members, and a rotatable front wheel rotatable on each end of said axle, a tray having a front end supported on said axle and having a side wall with a slot extending therealong, and a support strut engaged in said slot of said side wall of said tray and connected to said lower front side rod member.
 3. A baby carriage construction, according to claim 1, wherein said pair of spaced apart upper side rod members include an upwardly converging portion and an upper substantially verticAl straight portion, said straight portions of said upper side rod members being spaced apart, a bracket interconnecting said straight portions, said U-shape handles being pivotal in the tops of said straight portions. 